Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Easy On The Sugar...Pass The Salt,Please...



I am one of those people that sometimes check  food labels while grocery shopping. What I usually look out for are : sodium, caloric, and  fat contents, I seldom check for sugar content, but I do look out for and try to avoid, as much as I can, products with high fructose corn syrup.
Sodium have been labelled the "bad guy", for as long as I can remember, with regards to being one of the factors that can cause cardiovascular events.
However studies have shown that it is actually SUGAR that is the culprit!

The authors ( A pharmacist and a medical Doctor) of an article in Open Heart conclude that foods and beverages with high sugar content  may make a significant contribution to cardio-vascular  risk/diseases. They also suggest that  processed foods ( which tend to have high sugar content from preservatives and additives) be replaced by natural whole foods like fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts.
Below is an except from  Medscape. com:

"It is a little bit frightening that we have been focusing on salt for so long," Richard Krasuski, MD, from the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, told Medscape Medical News. Dr Krasuski was not affiliated with the research.
A reduction in the consumption of added sugars and, in particular, processed foods may translate into decreased rates of hypertension as well as decreased cardio-metabolic disease. In particular, a new review article suggests that sugar, not salt, appears to contribute to the majority of the hypertension risk associated with processed food.
The conclusion that sugar represents a greater danger to the heart than salt, Dr Krasuski said, was an "eye opener." He acknowledged, though, that he should have anticipated it. He and other cardiologists have noticed that the recommendations to increasingly lower salt intake have not resulted in the expected positive cardiovascular outcomes.
Nevertheless, the bottom line of the article's recommendation should be familiar and comfortable to most physicians: Eat less processed food.

Saturday, December 13, 2014

Tips For Feeling Fine On Long Flights.

         This time of the year till the first week of January is when people tend to travel the most, especially by air, to spend time with friends and family during the holidays as businesses and schools are winding down for the year. 

So, if you are traveling by air , especially more than 4-6 hours long, here are some tips to make your travel more tolerable:     

  • Consume somewhat more liquids than normal to prevent dehydration. 
  • Take caffeine or alcohol in moderation.
  • Do exercises in your seat (see below).
  • Walk regularly through the cabin, when possible.
  • Consult your doctor prior to your trip if you suffer from chronic disorders or airsickness.
  • Have gum or candy ready for take-off and landing to reduce the effect of changes in air pressure.Low humidity in the cabin can exacerbate allergic or asthmatic conditions. Take the necessary precautions, if necessary.    
Exercises on board
  1. Take a walk through the cabin.
  2. Foot circles: Lift your feet off the floor and move your toes in a circle, one foot moving clockwise and the other anti-clockwise. Then change direction. (15 seconds each)
  3. Foot lifts: Place your heels on the floor and bring your toes up as high as you can. Next, pull your heels up while keeping the balls of your feet on the floor. (30 seconds each)
  4. Knee lifts: Keep your knee bent and raise your leg while tensing your thigh muscle. (10-15 times each leg)
  5. Shoulder rolls: Raise your shoulders, then roll them forward, downward and back in a smooth movement.
  6. Arm bends: Start with your elbows on the armrest and hands pointed forward so that your elbow makes a 90-degree angle. Take turns moving your hands toward your chest and back again. (30-second sets)
  7. Knee to chest: Bend slightly forward. Put your hands together around your knee and pull it toward your chest. Hold for 15 seconds, then lower. (10 times each leg)
  8. Forward bends: Place both feet on the floor and pull your abdomen in. Slowly bend forward and "walk" your fingers along your shinbone to your ankles. Hold for 15 seconds and sit up slowly.
  9. Upper body stretch: Stretch both arms high over your head. With your right hand, grab your left wrist and pull slowly to the right. Hold for 15 seconds and switch.
  10. Shoulder stretch: With your right hand, grab your left elbow and pull your outstretched left arm slowly toward your right shoulder. Hold for 15 seconds and switch.
  11. Neck roll: Relax your shoulders, let your head drop to your right shoulder and roll your head to the front and then to your left side. Hold each position for 5 seconds. (Repeat 5 times.)    



Culled From KLM.com

Saturday, December 6, 2014

Fart Facts…Hehehehe



Culled from Vox.com

Whether you try to hide it or not, you fart….everybody does!...An average person farts between 10-20 times a day.
But even though it's a routine activity,there's a lot about farting that you might want to know.

As part of research into the rich community of bacteria that live throughout our body, scientists have learned all sorts of interesting things about the bacteria that produces gas inside our intestines.
Here are 9 important things to know about flatulence.

1. We produce about 500 to 1500 milliliters of gas per day, and expel it in 10 to 20 farts.
    According to Purna Kashyap-a gastroenterologist at the Mayo clinic, A huge variety of foods like virtually all beans, most vegetables and anything with whole grains, contain complex carbs that we cannot fully digest. These foods end up in the large intestine, where microbes chew them apart and use them for energy, through the process of fermentation, and gas is produced as a by-product.

2. 99% of the gas we produce does not smell.
  Hydrogen, Carbon Dioxide  and Methane make up as much as 99% of the gas produced in our large intestines.All these gases are odorless, which why most of the time farts have no smell.
Research has found that the potent stink is largely due to the 1% or so of compounds with sulfur in them, for example onions, beans, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, broccoli and dairy.

3. Soda and Chewing gum makes you fart more.
A significant portion of fart is simply made up of inadvertently swallowed air, mostly nitrogen and oxygen. 
Some of the swallowing occurs while we are asleep, but it can be increased by drinking carbonated beverages and by chewing gum.

4. Farting is the result of a healthy, complex ecosystem in our intestines.
   It is unfortunate that  modern society views flatulence-a byproduct of bacteria living in our intestines, a negative.
The same bacteria that produce gas also generate vitamins and fatty acids that help maintain our colon lining, and may support our immune systems.

5. There’s a simple reason why we don’t mind the smell of our own farts.
  Human beings become habituated to all smells over time. That is why we become habituated to the characteristic mix of odors produced by the bacteria in our own body, which of course differs slightly from everyone else’s. As a result our own farts just don’t have the same impact on you- even though they are just as pungent for everyone else.

6. Yep! We can light a fart on fire..
   Because flatulence is partly composed of flammable gases like methane and hydrogen, it can be briefly set on fire.

7. ..And Nope! We can not hold a fart until it disappears.
   According to the physics of fart: A fart is a bubble of gas and there’s ultimately nowhere for it to go besides out of the anus. 
At times, after holding in a fart for awhile, it can seem to disappear. This is because you stop being conscious of it and it leaks out gradually.

8. Beano® cuts down on gas production by starving the gut bacteria.
  The over-the-counter product Beano® is found significantly reduce gas production in the hours following a bean-filled meal. 
Beano contains an enzyme called alpha-galactoside that cut complex carbohydrates into shorter, simpler carbs that are much easier to digest. As a result , they get broken down in the small intestines, rather than making it all the way down to the large intestine, where bacteria would ferment them, producing gas.

9. Starving fart-producing bacteria is not really a good idea.
   The amount of fart we produce is the result of both our diet and gut bacteria-unless we are experiencing problems like painful bloating, excessive amounts of gas due to lactose intolerance-it is not necessary to limit gas production.
However, many people who believe they suffer from excessive gas production actually just have trouble with the flow of gas through their intestines, probably due to constipation.

..So,please fart-along …LOL!

Thursday, November 27, 2014

When I Don’t Feel Thankful….


….. Oftentimes, when things are not going right, the last thing on my mind is to be thankful …I’m sure you all can relate…However, the good book advice otherwise,…. it says “ In ALL things give thanks”  …..

As we all know, life is full of ups and downs and we have different coping mechanisms…. ..When I feel overwhelmed with stuff going on around, I just go quiet , sometimes close my eyes and go to one of the “happy places” in my head…*don’t look at me like I’m weird....I know you do it too…LOL. ..And you know what?……Most times, I feel calm…Then I’m able to think happy thoughts…..I think about all  things that are going right… about little things that don’t make the “headlines”.
I want to use this opportunity to express my gratitude for :
  • Waking up this morning, feeling rested for the first time in a long while…
  • Getting a text from an old friend….who was just saying hello..
  • The new recipe I tried that turned out well the 1st time…yummy!
  • Making it to church early…(I figure if I can make to work early, why not to church)
  • When I got the top  I have being eyeing at Macy’s for 50% less than the original price..yay!
  • When the discrepancies on my credit card account was resolved by my bank…(someone or some people have been using my credit card to make online purchases, imagine?!)
  • The price of gas that is still below $3/gallon..It was $2.50/gallon today…yay!
  • Being able to do long walks ..(been trying to get an exercise routine going for a while)
  • Being able to do the “5 servings of fruits and vegetables”…(didn’t get it right the first many times)
  • Finding a parking spot close to the entrance of the store…(It was pouring and i didn’t have an umbrella,you see)
  • Getting a hairstyle that fits my face…ladies, sure you can relate..
  • …And for you dear friend reading this blog…:)


Friday, November 14, 2014

Something Else To Think About….

...We hold back because we don’t want to get hurt again…..We tell half-truths because we don’t  want to feel vulnerableWe conceal our true feelings because we don’t want our ego to be bruised…
We do all theses things and more because we are insecure….
If only we know that it is not all about us….maybe then  we can trust a little bit more...


Monday, November 10, 2014

…When Somebody Dies...



Death is not a favorite topic for discussion, but we are reminded of its existence daily….We only hope it happens to us when we are ready….
The first thought that comes to mind when someone dies suddenly is: Is it this person destined to die at this time?…
And if the person that died happens to be a spiritual leader who died suddenly and “young", then I wonder if the person had any kind of premonition about his/her death, If their death was preventable…and I wonder, If someone “ spiritual” or of great positive influence  could die young and suddenly, then what are the chances of “ordinary"/not-very-spiritual people?…
Maybe the yardstick for measuring life and death are not according to deeds…..
I guess we are all concerned about how and when we will die...concerned about living a fulfilled life before we die...
Sometimes, we see death as consequence of sin/ wrong doing or sickness…..However, death can actually be a reward because the bible says “To live is Christ and to die is gain”. I read somewhere that God “takes" the good people before the bad people because He is giving chances for change, for repentance...

RIP Dr Myles Munroe (April 20th 1954-November 9th 2014) May your legacy live on….You have blessed your generation.
RIP to all we have lost to death one way or the other.


Saturday, November 8, 2014

What Meal Of The Day Should Be The Heaviest?




Hello beautiful people…..Let’s talk about food….:)….after all, we all eat…and we do a lot with and around meals.
…..Familiar with this quote "Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper”? .. 
The quote was popular a few years ago when calorie counting became part of weight management. I agree entirely with breakfast being the most important meal of the day (I regard the first meal of the day a “ breakfast"  regardless of the time of day you have it)  because I believe it contributes to how you “kick start” your metabolism and “wake” your taste buds up.
However, eating large during breakfast with the mindset  of eating less during the day doesn't always work, studies have shown. It actually does have  the opposite effect….You tend to eat more because your body is expecting the same portion it had for breakfast. This  study  shows that eating a large breakfast will not reduce food intake later in the day but could actually add more calories to total food consumption. 
The bottom line is to watch/monitor total daily calorie intake. A "stuffed" tummy is not the same as being “well-fed”...

These are tips for "balancing our plates":
  • Keeping meal portion at a minimum. 
  • Maintaining  consistency in  frequency, portion (plate size), and composition are important.
  • When/If you skip a meal  or 2, for whatever reason like fasting, the next meal should be your usual portion (Not eating breakfast, lunch and dinner together) . Speaking of skipping meals, especially breakfast, there are conflicting results from studies done to identify the benefits of skipping  breakfast with regards to weight management…so it all boils down to what works for your weight and health.
  • The importance of having fruits and vegetable included in our diet cannot be over emphasized-(the recommended portions are 5 servings of vegetables and fruits per day). 
  • When hunger calls, answer with water first.
I tend to agree with health articles that recommends  healthy diet should consist of less processed/cooked food and more of uncooked/raw food (excluding animal products, of course)……..That might be a challenge for some of us that enjoy cooking,…. but it is do-able.:)...

Thursday, November 6, 2014

..Be Encouraged….

..Every now and again we all do need some pep talk…Hope these quotes helps somebody out there……..


               




Wednesday, October 29, 2014

This Video Will Change The Way You Think!



“The things we get in life can get us a living,…but the things we give can make a life"



Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Dubai Mall and Mall of Emirate

Hey y’all, This is a continuation of my earlier post here about my visit to Dubai..Because shopping is one of my hobbies,I made sure I visited the 2 most prominent malls in Dubai-The Mall of Emirates and The Dubai Mall.The latter has more to offer in terms of sight-seeing and size. There is so much to see..my goodness…I didn’t get to see half of both malls because of time constraint….However,Hasta la vista,baby! *wink*


One of the many sides of the Mall of Emirates.I got this view because it is close to the hotel my friend stayed.

This is the entrance to the Dubai Mall from the Metro Station….It’s a bit of a trek from when you get off the train to the Mall….We definitely got a good work out :)
A view of the Dubai Mall from the 3rd floor..

This is one of the attractions at the Dubai mall- The DubaiDino . We were told it’s called Diplodocus longs,dated back to 155-150 ill ion years ago, discovered in Wyoming USA in 2008.
The entrance to the Aquarium and Underwater zoo at the Dubai Mall.
The large fish tank (part of the aquarium ) that can be seen from the ground floor , the 1st and second of the mall . It is said to be the largest suspended aquarium in the world.
                                         

This is a part of  hallway on the lower ground floor of the mall that leads to the food court and the entrance to the Fountain and Burj Khalifa.The decor and setting is made to look  like a market place, with the lightings on the ceiling and kiosks in the hallway.

This is the Waterfall at the Dubai Mall.It runs through the entire height of the mall on the west side,I think. It is beauty to behold. It has art sculptures of human divers descending the waterfall. Below is better photo of the waterfall I got from the internet.



This is the singing/dancing fountain at the Dubai Mall…I first saw a video of it on YouTube and I was blown away…The fountain is on the Burj khalifa lake, shoots water up as high as 500ft, dances in sync to classical and Arabian music….It was Andrea Bocelli’s Con Te Partiro that was played while we were  there….It is a beautiful 3 minutes experience…(Please ignore the background comments and noise in the background :)

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Are We Loving Our Sons and Raising Our Daughters?



The other day a friend I was having a discussion with a friend of mine about parenting, comparing how we were raised and how we are raising our children.We both came to the conclusion that we are more or less raising our children the way our parents raised us,particularly with regards to the disparity between raising a girl-child and raising a boy-child.
 We tend to put more effort into raising our daughters, teaching  them right from wrong, what they need to wear, say and behave,in order not to get harassed by men, as well as conform to the societies expectations. Whereas, boys don’t often get to be taught with the same intensity, especially with regards to how to treat women well, how to talk to women,how to value and appreciate people.
We tell girls :“don’t get raped” , instead of teaching the boys “don’t rape”. When boys/men do wrong, society tends to say things  like “boys/men will be boys/men” while the girls/women are “scolded” for not being virtuous or not setting good examples for their children.
Society say that “ladies are meant to seen and not be heard” while the boys are allowed to "raise their voice" on any issue without restraint.

Got this piece from an article ‘how to build a man” in the magazine Esquire:
We want them to know that contrary to what people say, chivalry and feminism are reconcilable. It is called “holding the door for everyone, giving a hand to whomever needs it, lightening the load. We want them to understand the weight that a simple word of kindness or encouragement can carry in another person’s life. To ask for advice even when they don’t think they need it.




Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Dubai!!

…Visiting Dubai have been on my wish list for sometime now and I finally made the trip with my husband this month….Yippee!!….I have been intrigued by the stories I have heard/read from friends,blogs ( like sisiyemmie.com who posted photos about her honeymoon there recently) , photos I’ve seen about the sights and of course …shopping!!…You see, shopping(window, online, actual etc) is therapeutic for me :)…….
Even though the visit was short ( about 5 days),it was all worth it…The best part was sharing the experience with my husband, Gloria ( my childhood friend and ‘Deolu (my brother from another parent), who I was meeting in person for the first time ( that’s story for another day), he has a blog as well ,9jaboyblog.com.
We had a packed 4-day trip-(sight-seeing,shopping,hanging out)-that cannot fit into one post.I will have to give you the gist in “batches”….hehehehe….so watch this space.:)…..


This the entrance to our Hotel-Jumeirah Zabeel Saray-located on the west crescent of the Palm Jumeirah. The architecture is modeled after the Ottoman palaces.
                                               
       
We were welcomed to our room with this “display” on our bed. We indicted that we were in Dubai to celebrate our anniversary and birthdays… that was really thoughtful of them to do that(good customer service)…They also added 2 pieces of chocolate cake…yummy (photos below)

      


Our first morning, we decided to check out the rest of the resort before heading out….. This is the beach behind the hotel shared by other hotels and resorts on the Palm Jumeirah.
                                               
The beach is not very deep from what I see(didn’t venture too far from the brink though….hehehehe).It  has a little bit of water creatures like fish,sting rays.We were told to be careful not to get stung by sting rays….The famous Atlantis Resort can be seen from the back of our hotel.(far off towards the right in this photo)
                                             


The path leading to one of  the back entrances to the hotel…....I love the tropical touch with the palm trees,flowers,foliage, and all..
                                       
The view from the front of the hotel….overlooking the  Persian/Arabian Gulf and part of city of Dubai skyline.


We went on a Dhow(an Arab boat that is low in the front,high in the back,usually shaped like triangles)cruise on our second night there. The cruise was on the creek within Dubai city limit. Dhow in arabic means mule.


There were other Dhow boats with tourists sailing at the same time. The usual activities on the cruise are music, entertainment by belly dancers and other artists,buffet dinner. we had an entertainer who did a few arabic dances and acrobats.He picked Gloria(my friend) as one of his volunteers for the Arabic dance…It was hilarious(would have shared the video,but she(Gloria) has not given me permission yet)


One of the high-light of my visit was getting a Thai massage (deep tissue massage) …The masseur was really good at it……the session lasted for 60minutes…and boy,by the time I was done,the only thing I wanted to do was go to bed.




Residential apartments close to the Palm Jumeirah.









Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Simplify Your Life.



I have been musing the last couple of weeks about what really matter in life,….about what will really stand the test of time.I am sure it is not money neither is it academic achievements. I think when we  begin to prioritize the things that are important like- (family,faith,love,kindness,good health)-while we are pursuing or being pursued by whatever it is that is keeping us busy, we will begin to know true satisfaction.
Below is something I read recently that I’d like to share:


History touts Solomon, son of David and king of Israel during the tenth century BC, as the wisest man in the world at that time, and he was certainly one of the richest. If anyone could speak to the experience of having everything his heart desired, it was this guy. 

With limitless wealth at his disposal, Solomon pursued satisfaction with breathless abandon. He recorded his findings in the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes—twelve chapters of bare-fisted, intellectual street fighting about what matters in this world and what does not. He records what will satisfy us and what will leave us feeling as if all we did with our lives was chase the wind.
Solomon’s kingdom ended at his death, when the nation of Israel was split in two—the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. 
We have seen seemingly indestructible empires collapse in our day as well. Who would have thought that companies like Oldsmobile, Blockbuster, and Lehman Brothers—multibillion-dollar companies—would just crumble and disappear?

Be careful where you pin your hopes and dreams. It’s not simply the risk that those things might not satisfy—that’s scary enough. It’s the risk that they might actually evaporate. Even if you succeed at building something great with your life . . . when you retire or die, then what? It could all turn to dust in a heartbeat. All your time and effort could end up blowing in the wind.


Don’t get to the end of your days and realize you spent your one and only life on distractions. Don’t arrive at the end of your life still saying (in the words of the U2 song), “I still haven’t found what I’m looking for.”


Culled from the devotional “Simplify"

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Happy Birthday To Me!


                                         An Ode To Me

..I remember you from way back then,... when you were so shy, so unsure of almost anything…
You are still self-conscious …but you have come a mighty long way, girl!….and have a long way to go, still..
In some life circumstances, you also can say “been there done that, bought the T-shirt…..I salute you for all the roles you are playing,yet to play,and have played: A mother, A wife, A sister,A daughter,A student ,An employee,A neighbor,A blogger…A friend….
I just want to remind you to keep these few words from your friend Mayor Aderounmu of blessed memory,in mind:
Why don’t you try to always put your weight behind everything you want and believe in?..Do you know that even if you make mistakes in life,God is able to work through the mistakes and bring you to that expected end?…Just relax in God’s hands-It is not by struggle for He has promised to bear you on eagle’s wings.
It’s time to STEP UP and STEP OUT!…..You know all those things you have been thinking and dreaming about doing…It’s time to get started…It’s a new year, a new day,a new decade.....after all,…Life just began….


Saturday, September 27, 2014

Do It Afraid!(Joyce Meyer)





I attended the Joyce Meyer’s Love Life Conference this weekend in St Louis, at the Edward Jones Dome. It was my first time attending any of her conferences. This was a women’s conference and it was huge!  I mean there were about 12,000 women present from all over the world….It was beautiful!...
Anyway, below is the summary of the message she gave on the first night of the conference. I am at a point in my life where I’m beginning to find my “niche’, my passion,….what really fits me…..I am more willing to try new thing but I am apprehensive at the same time….I am wondering what if it takes me completely away from what I’m used to…Well,I guess, I will have to find out…:)

Step.Out. and Try.Out.

We are all afraid of making mistakes.
Sometimes it's hard letting go of old things.
If you make a mistake,it doesn't mean you are a mistake.
Be Determined!
Whatever you do ,let your endpoint not be for self gratification or applause.
Sometimes you will not find your “calling” if you are not willing to try a few things.-Don't be afraid to try new things.
However,"not one size should fit all".What works for someone else might not work for you.
Somethings are right for a season.
When you finally doing what's right for you,you'll know it,…..and people around you will notice,as well..and you might get judged and criticized...
The older you get,the more important it is to wear something that fits,as opposed to what is popular…..So don't fit yourself into what doesn't work for you.

Monday, September 22, 2014

Let Your Voice Be Heard Against Terrorism and Fanaticism…!!!


The world is currently feeling the impact of the turmoil and unrest in the Middle-East and other parts of the world like Asia and Africa, caused by terrorism. We can no longer sit back and watch, we cannot allow a few individuals control and destroy our lives….We need to protect our future by lending our voices one way or the other-through social media, through governmental agencies etc…Fanaticism feeds terrorism…Speak up!





……Someone forwarded the email below to me and I thought I’d share….
The author of this email is Dr.Emanuel Tanay, a well-known and well-respected German psychiatrist.
A man, whose family was German aristocracy prior to World War II, owned a number of large industries and estates.
When he was asked how many   German people were true Nazis, the answer he gave can   guide our attitude toward fanaticism.
'Very few people were true Nazis,' he said, 'but many enjoyed the return of German pride, and many more were too busy to care.
 I was one of those who just   thought the Nazis were a bunch of fools. So, the   majority just sat back and let it all happen. Then,   before we knew it, they owned us, and we had lost   control, and the end of the world had come.
My family lost everything. I ended up in a concentration camp and the Allies destroyed my factories.
We are told again and again by 'experts' and 'talking heads' that Islam is the religion of peace and that the vast majority of Muslims just want to live in peace.
Although this unqualified assertion may be true, it is entirely irrelevant. It is meaningless fluff, meant to make us feel better, and   meant to somehow diminish the spectre of fanatics   rampaging across the globe in the name of Islam.
 
The fact is that the fanatics rule Islam at this moment in history.   It is the fanatics who march.

  It is the fanatics who wage any one of 50 shooting wars worldwide.

  It is the fanatics who systematically slaughter Christian or tribal groups throughout Africa and are gradually taking over the entire continent in an Islamic wave.

  It is the fanatics who bomb, behead, murder, or honour-kill. It is the fanatics who take over mosque after mosque.
 It is the fanatics who zealously spread the stoning and hanging of rape victims and homosexuals. 
 
  It is the fanatics who teach their young to kill and to become suicide bombers.

The hard, quantifiable fact is that the peaceful majority, the 'silent majority,' is cowed and   extraneous.

  Communist Russia was comprised of Russians who just wanted to live in peace, yet the Russian Communists were responsible for the murder of about 20 million people. The peaceful majority were   irrelevant.

  China's huge population was peaceful as well, but Chinese Communists managed to kill a staggering 70 million people..

The average Japanese individual prior to World War II was not a warmongering sadist. Yet, Japan murdered and slaughtered its way across South East Asia in an orgy of killing that included the systematic murder of 12 million Chinese civilians; most killed by sword, shovel, and   bayonet.

  And who can forget Rwanda, which collapsed into butchery. Could it not be said that the majority of Rwandans were 'peace loving'?

History lessons are often incredibly simple and blunt, yet for all our powers of reason, we often miss the most basic and uncomplicated of   points:

  Peace-loving Muslims have been made irrelevant by their silence.

  Peace-loving Muslims will become our enemy if they don't speak up, because like my friend from Germany, they will awaken one day and find that the   fanatics own them, and the end of their world will have   begun.

Peace-loving Germans, Japanese, Chinese, Russians, Rwandans, Serbs, Afghans, Iraqis, Palestinians, Somalis, Nigerians, Algerians, and many   others have died because the peaceful majority did not   speak up until it was too late.  In Australia, and indeed in many countries around the world, many of the most commonly consumed   food items have the halal emblem on them.
  Just look at the back of some of the most popular chocolate bars, and at other food items in your local supermarket.

  Food on aircraft have the halal emblem, just to appease the privileged minority who are now rapidly expanding within the nation’s shores.

In the U.K, the Muslim communities refuse to integrate and there are now dozens of “no-go” zones   within major cities across the country that the police   force dare not intrude upon.

  Sharia law prevails there, because the Muslim community in those areas refuse to acknowledge British law.

As for us who watch it all unfold, we must pay attention to the only group that counts - the fanatics who threaten our way of life.

Lastly, anyone who doubts that the issue is serious and just deletes this email without sending it   on, is contributing to the passiveness that allows the   problems to expand.

  So, extend yourself a bit and send this on and on and on! Let us hope that thousands, world-wide, read this and think about it, and they also   continue to send it on - before it's too late.

And we are silent.....and then. . . silenced.
 
ACTS TEAM
Africa Centre for Theological Studies
3 Ike Asogwa Close
Off Bush Street,Anthony Lagos.
   



Wednesday, September 17, 2014

What Do You Want Out Of A Relationship?



This is sort of  a sequel to the post on marriage I wrote here about a week or so ago. The general vibe I get from different articles on relationship is this: The expectations of the male specie differs from that of the female specie.
There tend to be resentment,anger, frustration and sense of hopelessness when couples don’t understand each others wants and needs in a relationship.
Generally, men want :
  • To be “ in charge”
  • To be needed and at the same time want the woman to be self-sufficient/confident.
  • A manipulation-free relationship.

Whereas,what women(regardless of age) want can be summed up to:
  • Affection
  • Appreciation
  • Affirmation
I think men do want these things as well in a relationship but in different measure based on the age and stage in life.

Anyway,based on a random opinion poll I conducted among friends, some of the guys said they think because women are materialistic, women are in most relationships for monetary gain.I read a quote somewhere that says"When the wife is mute, she is cute and when the husband has money he’s honey”.Ouch!Do you agree?
Another guy actually said he thinks giving a girl “too much” affection and appreciation is being a sissy.….I wonder what too much affection means:(
The ladies I asked,however, think men are only after sex and a good meal.Hmmmmmm.

Regular COMMUNICATION is key. A relationship will sail or sink based on how open the people involved can communicate.

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Never Say Can’t!

I just have to share this….

I hope it inspires someone as it has inspired  me….


Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Marriage: Ball and Chain?….




My husband and I had a discussion the other day about “What people want out of a marriage relationship”(That is a post for another day) and that was when the question “ Who benefits the more from a marriage relationship-the man or the woman”? arose….


While popular culture always points out that the man “loses" his independence  and financial stability (which is why they shy away from marriage), I am of the opinion that it is man that benefits more  in a marriage relationship, because of the following reasons: 

1. Marriage tends to give the man a sense of commitment and social responsibility, not only to his nuclear family but also to people around him, which leads to both financial/career success and achievements.

2.Typically, it is the woman that gives up or defers her career aspirations.The society subtly believes 
that the woman bears the most responsibility when it comes to raising a family.

3. In marriage, women bear a disproportionate share of the burden of pregnancies, child- bearing and childcare particularly in the early stages of marriage. They are also expected to continue to look cute and always sexy.

4. The woman is the one to give up her maiden name to take up the husband’s last name.

5. Studies have shown that ‘happily” married men tend to have longer life span than single men.

6. Men gain a readily available sex partner,..or so one might assume….:)

However, women do benefit from marriage in the following ways: (this is not an exhaustive list) 

1. Studies have shown that women are more financially secure in marriage.

2. In a “happy” marriage relationship offers a woman more emotional support, which may insulate her from depression and anxiety which are twice as common in females as in males.

3. A married woman does not have to deal with the hassles of dating and the pressure from the society of being labelled single.

4. Research shows that married women have both higher frequency and  better quality sex lives.. 

However, I don’t think marriage should be viewed as a “business” partnership or a job contract. I think it is the mind-set of the 2 people in the marriage that determines the outcome of a marriage relationship…..

Monday, August 25, 2014

Places I Enjoyed Visiting In Atlanta…(Psst!..This is not an Ad)

So,my family went down to Atlanta this summer for a few days..This would be my second time visiting, but this visit was particularly more fun and the weather was perfect. Below are some of the photos of places we visited. The Coca-cola place was the most fun for me(had so much fun,I forgot to take more photos)-I got to taste almost all the 60 coca-cola flavors (some yummy, some yucky). 


Downtown Atlanta-where all the fun is :)

Water Fountain At The Centennial Olympic Park.

CNN Headquarters.

The Stone Mountain-(The Confederate Memorial Carving).
You get a good work-out hiking the trail and climbing the mountain.There are other attractions there.

Most of the fun places here are within walking distance .
(John Pemberton was the inventor of the Coca-cola Beverage)

Main Lobby of the Coca-cola Place.

The Aquarium 

The tasting center at the Coca-cola place
(Where my taste buds got “confused”  after tasting more than 50 flavors…lol!)


The  Center for Civil & Human Rights is located to the left.(We didn’t get to visit)
The famous Emory University is somewhere behind the Ferris wheel :)